A Second Chance
by Snowrosex3
Summary: The final assault against the Innovators was disastrous. The Meisters fall. Ptolemaios is destroyed. However, utilizing an addendum to Trans-Am, Setsuna might be able to prevent the complete destruction of Celestial Being and bring back a few old friends.
1. Time Leap

**There will be actual canon events from the anime included in some of the chapters.**

* * *

_"Lost time is never found again."_

-Benjamin Franklin

* * *

**Chapter 1: Time Leap**

It was all wrong. Everything was all wrong. Nothing was supposed to go this way. Nothing was supposed to be like this. No…no…NO! It was all wrong.

Another explosion rocked the Ptolemaios, eliciting a short burst of terror from the usually cheerful Mileina. Her fellow pink-haired friend and programmer, Feldt Grace, was silent; however, her shaking hands belied the sense of calm that she was trying to maintain.

Ptolemy's tactical forecaster gripped the armrests of her chair, internally wincing at the sounds of the raging battle just on the other side of the ship's hull. Another explosion filled the space with a burst of flame. Sumeragi Lee Noriega stared with a heavy heart as one of the remaining Katharon ships was destroyed.

A loud beep distracted her from the bright flames. It was an incoming message from one of the Federation Army ships. She allowed access and soon found herself staring at the grim and creased face of Kati Mannequin, her old friend and current enemy.

"Kujo, we're taking too many losses here. I'm losing ships faster than I can piece together decent plans. Have you thought of anything?" Kati said with a brisk, sharp tone.

Sumeragi Lee Noriega stared intensely at Kati, processing all the information she had just received. Plan after plan flew out of her head, most requiring more strength than they currently had. She slammed her fist into her armrest in frustration. Only one plan she thought of had any chance at all of succeeding. She opened her mouth and hesitated.

"Kujo, we don't have time for idle chatting," Kati admonished.

Sumeragi Lee Noriega remained frozen, her mind churning. Lockon. Christina. Lichty. They had died five years ago because of her tactical forecasts. Is she ready to sacrifice again? Can she bear to sacrifice again?

"Order a retreat of your ships and troops, Kati," she croaked, finding her voice at last. Without waiting for a reply, she opened a link with the Katharon commander, Klaus. She repeated her instructions to the grim commander. He gave her a puzzled look but obeyed without question.

"Kujo, I'm guessing you have a plan," Kati spoke without emotion.

Sumeragi Lee Noriega jumped, unaware that the link with the Federation Army Flagship was still open.

"Hai, but I need you to get out of here with all possible speed and request reinforcements," she replied.

Kati nodded curtly, then closed the link. She wasn't someone who was spooked easily, but the haunted look in Kujo's eyes just before she terminated the link sent shivers through her whole body.

_**~ G U N D A M ~**_

She did have a plan. It was high-risk, irrational, and downright crazy. No. She won't sacrifice any of them. She couldn't. But what other choice did she have?

Tears began leaking from her eyes as all other possibilities died out. She couldn't. She couldn't do it. But with every passing second, it seemed like she must.

"MARIE!"

Allelujah's desperate cry jolted her out of her self-perpetuated misery. Moments later, Feldt spoke in a nearly inaudible voice, "We lost Arios."

Her heart shattered. She couldn't do this anymore. Almost with an instinctive desperation, she glanced around for a bottle of alcohol, only to find none.

Feldt broke the silent atmosphere, filled with tragic air. "GN Archer, signal lost."

Another wave of despondency crashed over Sumeragi Lee Noriega. Not only had she broken her promise of keeping Marie away from the fighting to Allelujah, but she had also failed in protecting her.

_Allelujah…I'm sorry, Allelujah._

Flashes of memories suddenly besieged her already fragile mindset: images of broken mobile suits and demolished buildings, images of blood and gore and body parts, images of Emilio lying still on the hospital bed, eyes closed, never to open again…

"We have a message incoming from… Veda?" Feldt shouted in a surprised voice.

"Put it up on screen," she commanded, equally surprised. A message and numerous schematics popped up on the main screen. Her eyes widened as she processed the message.

"Tieria," she breathed. "You're alive…you weren't in Seraphim when it was destroyed…you're alive," she repeated, tears gradually flowing from her eyes again.

"Sumeragi-san," Mileina spoke for the first time since everything started going wrong. "What's the mission plan?"

She opened her mouth to relay precise commands to her two programmers. Another message interrupted her. Suddenly, she lost her voice as she found herself staring at Setsuna's glowing eyes and haggard face.

"Sumeragi-san. Tieria is dead," he spoke in his usual monotonous voice, laced only with hints of exhaustion and sorrow.

She smiled faintly at the Gundam Meister. "No," she responded clearly. "Tieria sent us a message through Veda. He's alive."

Setsuna was silent as he continued to stare at her with unblinking, glowing eyes. He grimaced and blinked. When he opened his eyes again, they were no longer glowing.

"Sumeragi Lee Noriega…" he started with an unusually uncertain voice. She felt the elation of Tieria being alive dissolve as a cold fist gripped her heart. She had never seen Setsuna like this before.

"I found Tieria's body. He was shot multiple times, including one shot in the head that killed him." He paused. "He revealed to me that he had assimilated his consciousness into Veda, but before he could take full control, Ribbons assaulted him through an untouched portion of Veda. I lent my support to Tieria, but we were unprepared for the surprises that he had."

Setsuna took a deep breath. "He was connected to Veda for far longer than any of us. He knew Veda. Tieria threw me out just as Ribbons was about to wipe us from Veda." Setsuna took another breath. "Tieria wanted me to pass this message to you: 'everyone gets a second chance.'"

Sumeragi Lee Noriega felt like she was suffocating. Her lungs cried for more oxygen, more than the few shuddering breaths she took in between bouts of sobbing. Her heart just cried, cried and bled painfully as she began retreating into herself again.

_Emilio…_

A figure sprang up and dragged her out of her chair. "Lasse! Lasse! Take Sumeragi to…."

_**~ G U N D A M ~**_

"Damn it, she fainted," Ian cursed. He thrust the unconscious form of their tactical forecaster at an unprepared Lasse. "Take her to her room and stay with her," he ordered. Without waiting to see if his order was being carried out properly, he cursed and turned back to the main screen, where an emotionless Setsuna F. Seiei was staring calmly at him.

The engineer gazed at the schematics and message that was still open. After a few moments, he quickly downloaded it all into his portable working computer.

"Setsuna. Take 00 Raiser and come back to the Ptolemaios. I'll meet you in the hanger," he said gruffly.

"Roger," Setsuna replied and closed the link.

"Linda, Mileina, Feldt, protect the ship as best as possible," he directed at the three remaining operators in the bridge, then floated out the door.

_Tieria, you cunning boy. This just may be crazy enough to get us all killed…or worse. But I guess we'll need to take any chance we've got now that we're backed into a corner._

Ian rounded the corner and entered the hanger just in time to see 00 Raiser dock. He quickly opened his computer and opened up all the schematics. Without a pause, Ptolemaios' engineer went to work.

_**~ G U N D A M ~**_

"Setsuna, stay in 00 Raiser," Ian's voice pierced the cockpit just as he was about to jump out. Reluctantly, he settled back into the seat, gritting his teeth every time an explosion shook the Ptolemaios. He should be out there destroying those ships, destroying every last bastard in those ships. He clenched his controls.

_Lockon. I will change the world. I will change the world with my Gundam._

"Alright Setsuna. We don't have time for a test run, so you'll just have to launch and hope it works. What's that status of Trans-Am?" Ian's voice came through the speakers.

"57%," he replied.

A colorful stream of curses erupted from the speakers. "Well, we'll have to launch you anyways. Can't risk keeping the 00 Raiser on Ptolemy. As you as Trans-Am charges up fully, use it. Then go into 'Time Leap' mode. It should appear as an option. Got that, kid?" Ian said with a growl.

"Roger," Setsuna responded. "He powered on his Gundam. Setsuna F. Seiei, launching."

The 00 Raiser's twin drives quickly propelled the Gundam back into the raging battle outside. Immediately, he fired off multiple shots, destroying two of the countless suicidal mobile suits sent by Ribbons Almark.

Cursing silently, he pulled out two beam sabers and with deadly efficiency, began cutting through the thick swathes of kamikaze suits. A quick glance at his monitor showed Trans-Am as 76%.

"Ptolemy, starboard engine, critical damage," Feldt's shaky voice came through in a universal transmission.

"DAMNIT! I'll snipe every one of those damn bastards down! I'll sni—" Explosions interrupted Lockon's raging tirade. An eerie, static hiss followed.

"Lockon!" Setsuna shouted uselessly. "LOCKON!" An exploding impact sent shockwaves through his Gundam, temporarily dazing him. He shook the stars and pain from his head and glanced down at the monitor. 96%.

"Ptolemy, GN missiles low, starboard weapon ports destroyed," Feldt said with a tinge of desperation in her voice.

"TRANS-AM!" Setsuna shouted, activating the Trans-Am function of 00 Raiser. His Gundam glowed red and began speeding into the thick of the battle.

_Lockon. Allelujah. Tieria. I'm going to kill those bastards. I'm going to kill those bastards._

"Setsuna!" Ian's voice filled his cockpit. "Activate Time Leap. It's our only hope. Don't argue with me. Just do it!"

Setsuna gritted his teeth, intending to disobey the old man's orders. He pushed his Gundam faster.

"Damn it, Setsuna!" Ian bellowed. "00 Raiser, Ian Vashti, command override. Time Leap!"

Setsuna's eyes widened in shock as his Gundam complied with Ian's command. The pink Trans-Am display was replaced by a purple display. Eight sharp letters, spelling Time Leap, pulsed softly on the screen.

A massive explosion diverted his attention from the screen. He looked back. Half the Ptolemy was in flames. The ship itself was crumbling as it tilted dangerously to the port side.

Before he could fully register the implications of what he just saw, he felt himself being forced back into his seat. A great pressure was pushing against his body, effectively pinning him. His head felt light and blackness soon seeped into the corner of his eyes as air was forcibly driven from his lungs.

He wanted to scream.

_**~ G U N D A M ~**_

The first thing he saw when he came to was an alert warning him of the low amount of GN particles in his Gundam's twin drives. He groaned, or at least tried to. A hacking cough escaped him as his starving lungs cleared a way for fresh air to flow again. His limbs felt heavy. It took all his effort just to clear the incessant and annoying beeping of the alert. His sore body screamed in protest as he righted himself and looked at his situation.

"00 Raiser. Location," he rasped.

A map appeared on the heads-up display. A blue dot marked his current location. Despite the constant flow of tears from his eyes, he stared, dumbly and unblinking at the map.

The location was Lagrange 1.

Unwittingly, flashes of memory overtook his senses. His feeling of desperation as Exia sped toward Lagrange 1. Explosions and shockwaves rocking the entire satellite system. One particular explosion which he was too slow to shield.

_Lockon… Stratos…._

A beep jolted him from the stream of memories. It was an incoming message. Partly curious and partly suspicious, he opened the message. His eyes widened further.

A few minutes later, he was ready. He was once again Setsuna F. Seiei, Celestial Being's Gundam Meister, pilot of 00 Raiser. Open on his display was Sumeragi's final mission plan.

_Lockon. Allelujah. Tieria. Sumeragi Lee Noriega. Everyone, I will do this. I will change the world._

He clenched his hands on his controls. His eyes began glowing as he looked at the field of asteroids and satellites, where a desperate battle of pain and loss would soon be fought.

"Setsuna F. Seiei. Mission commencing."

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Edited on July 5th. The names now follow the spellings on wikipedia, as much as I dislike some of the spellings.


	2. Sniper's Second Advent

_"Every parting gives a foretaste of death; every coming together again a foretaste of the resurrection"_

_-_Arther Schopenhauer_

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_

**Chapter 2: Sniper's Second Advent  
**

"UN Military fleet detected," Christina reported as various warning screens alerted her of incoming ships. "The three incoming transports are presumed to be the Union's Virginia class ships."

"4200 until they are in visual combat range," Feldt added in a deceptively calm voice.

Sumeragi Lee Noriega unconsciously clenched her fists. They didn't have the strength for this battle. Exia was still flying out of the Earth's atmosphere and Lockon was injured. Kyrios and Virtue couldn't hold off the mobile suits on their own.

"Ptolemy is to back off and take advantage of the resource satellites," she relayed. "Kyrios, Virtue, prepare for defensive combat." Her mind flitted through a dozen different strategies, all which were incredibly implausible with their current strength. Even so, they had to try and survive.

"Dynames, standby on Ptolemy," she ordered after a brief moment of thought. She didn't want him to fight. She didn't want to order him to fight. Not in his condition. Not with his eye.

She bit her tongue. A few waves of weak pain washed over her, clearing her head of uncertainties. But her heart still squirmed with dread. If Tieria and Allelujah couldn't hold off the mobile suits, she may have to command Lockon to fight. Her order would be his death.

**_~ G U N D A M ~_  
**

"UN Military fleet detected. The three incoming transports are presumed to be the Union's Virginia class ships," Christina's voice echoed in Tieria's room.

"4200 until they are in visual combat range," Feldt's voice reported a second later.

Automatically, Tieria donned his flight suit and helmet briskly. He floated out of his room and started heading in the direction of his Gundam.

"Tieria," a voice called to him from behind.

He turned around to see a long-haired man in an orange flight suit.

"Allelujah," he acknowledged. They floated on in silence.

He stopped in front of Lockon's door. A surprised Allelujah nearly crashed into him, righting himself just in time to avoid a collision.

"Tieria?" he questioned.

The other Meister was silent. _I'm sorry, Lockon._ With a quick hand, he locked the sniper's door and locked his access to the door. When the last button was pressed, he turned and continued on his way to his Gundam, Virtue.

"Isn't that a bit much?" Allelujah caught up to him.

He felt a small smile break his lips. "He's not the type to listen when you tell him," he answered. "He saved me in the last fight. So, this time, I will protect him!"

Flashes of images raced through his head. He felt his utter desolation when Virtue was shut down. He saw the red sword of an enemy mobile suit, positioned to pierce straight through him. The sword that never did. The last image was nothing, nothing but an inhuman scream that was uttered by Lockon Stratos.

Not even noticing when Allelujah parted ways for Kyrios, he floated through a dark doorway, stopped in front of Virtue and stared at the gleaming white armor. _I will protect him. I will protect them all with my Gundam!_

Tieria climbed into the cockpit and started up the GN Drive. He felt a faint vibration as Kyrios launched into space to confront the incoming enemy. He gripped the controls tightly with his hands. Soon, he would fight as well.

"Mobile suits have launched from the transport ships," a universal transmission reported. No, he would fight now!

"Virtue, Tieria Erde, lauching!"

**_~ G U N D A M ~_**

"UN Military fleet detected. The three incoming transports are presumed to be the Union's Virginia class ships,"

The recovering Meister perked up as he heard Christina's transmission.

"4200 until they are in visual combat range," Feldt's voice rang through his ears a second later.

Lockon Stratos slipped on his helm. He knew as well as anyone how dire the situation was. That boy hadn't returned yet with Exia and he, himself, wouldn't be able to fight as well with his good eye shot.

He floated in the direction of his door. Good eye or no eye. He would fight. He would fight to protect everyone on Ptolemy. He would fight to change the world.

"Ptolemy is to back off and take advantage of the resource satellites. Kyrios, Virtue, prepare for defensive combat," Miss Sumeragi's voice came through the speakers. "Dynames, standby on Ptolemy."

His head snapped up. "Oi, oi. That's not fair," he grumbled aloud. Turning his attention back to his room, he pressed the button to open the door of his room. To his surprise, the door stayed shut. Tentatively, he pressed a few more buttons, only to find them all unresponsive.

The Meister clenched his jaw. "They locked it," he growled. They locked it. They locked it to prevent him from joining the battle. They locked it to prevent him from protecting everyone.

"Damn it," he roared, thrusting a fist at the door. The door stayed shut.

Moments later, he felt faint vibrations as Kyrios launched from Ptolemaios. Another weak shockwave followed as Virtue entered the battlefield.

Damn it. Kyrios and Virtue weren't enough to fight off the enemy. They would be killed. He slammed another fist into the door.

_I need to be out there…to make sure they don't get themselves killed. I'm the unofficial leader of the Meisters. I need to be out there, not idling here and listening to the explosions. I need to be out there!_

"The enemy mobile suits are 26 units equipped with imitation GN Drives," Feldt's voice washed over him.

"A Throne is among the enemy mobile suit squad!" Christina's anxious voice reported.

Christina's words pierced through him. A Throne. Only one man piloted that throne. The one man who was responsible for killing his family. The one man who he needed to kill.

Quickly, he picked up his communicator and linked it with the door's security pad. Programs and mechanics popped up on the screen, but he wasn't interested. His eye was only searching for one thing. Without delay, he activated the function as soon as he found it. Open.

The door silently slid open. He drifted out of his room and toward his Gundam.

"Kyrios, tailbooster damage, engaged with the mobile suit thought to have a super-soldier onboard."

"Virtue is taking concentrated fire from enemy mobile suits."

Lockon gritted his teeth as he processed the new information from the transmissions. He knew they couldn't hold off all those mobile suits. He had to join the fray quick. Tieria and Allelujah were not going to die, not under Lockon Stratos' watch!

Making use of everyone's distraction, he slipped quietly into Dynames and powered up its GN Drive. With practiced movements and calculations, he carefully docked the GN Armor to Dynames using the computer system inside his cockpit. Of course, having Haro with him helped speed up the docking process. Finally, he was ready.

"Dynames, launching," he announced in a clear voice.

"Lockon?" Miss Sumeragi's surprised face appeared in a transmission.

"I'm going to attack their ships with the GN Armor!" he reassured her. "I'm going to do it as you planned."

Her brilliant eyes were filled with panic. "But with your injuries—"

He ended the transmission before her soft but commanding voice could change his mind. A grim smile touched his lips.

"Haro, sorry but you're going to have to stick with me," Lockon Stratos said to his round, robotic partner.

"Roger. Roger," Haro replied.

He turned his attention back to his controls. He would protect them all: Tieria, Allelujah, Ptolemaios. He would fight and destroy those ships, so that the Union would think twice before attacking them again.

One thought drowned out the rest. The Gundam Throne.

"Ali Al-Saachez!"

**_~ G U N D A M ~_**

Setsuna opened his eyes and stared out into the deep black space. He took a deep, slow breath…and exhaled. His heart rate lowered. His muscles relaxed. He was in almost complete harmony…until…

A tingle shocked his mind, but by now he was accustomed to it. He eased his hands over his Gundam's controls. His eyes remained shut as he mechanically removed the camouflage from 00 Raiser and powered up its Twin Drive.

Though his eyes were closed, he could see the battle raging almost as if he were in the midst of it. He sensed Tieria's frustration, having enough power to obliterate all the mobile suits with one shot but unable to hit any of them. He felt Allelujah's desperation and his alter ego's will to fight and survive.

His eyes snapped open, glowing as he tapped into his power as a true Innovator. No, he didn't want to know what Lockon felt, how Lockon felt when he went into battle for the last time. Even grieving over his death once was too much for Setsuna.

Oh how he wished so much to activate Trans-Am and exterminate all the opposing mobile suits. Only Sumeragi Lee Noriega's last mission plan halted him from doing so.

An alert popped up on his monitor. "Kyrios and Virtue's Trans-Am has reached its time limit. Enemy mobile suits have retreated for now," Setsuna reported in his monotonous voice to himself. "Phase one, complete."

A second alert popped up. A quick glance told him that Dynames was currently engaged in combat with the stolen Throne Gundam. Ali Al-Saachez. He clenched his jaw. The mission plan did not include interfering with the battle.

"Phase two, commencing," he said to himself as he activated Trans-Am and sped toward the direction of the battle. This time, he would not be too late. This time, Lockon Stratos would not die.

A third alert popped up on his screen. With practiced motions, he smoothly and swiftly zoomed in on the live image. A partially destroyed Dynames had been abandoned and was currently slowly propelling itself back to the Ptolemaios. Perfect.

Five seconds until he would reach Dynames.

Four.

Three.

Two.

One.

Setsuna merged his mind completely with 00 Raiser. Just as his Gundam was about to collide with Dynames, 00 Raiser dissolved into a shower of particles. The particles spun and twisted around the space where the Gundam was previously for a bit, as if in confusion. Then, they started covering every little piece of Dynames. Some seeped in through the destroyed portions of Dynames and settled on the cockpit chair, dashboard, even Haro.

"Lockon. Lockon," the little robot continued to utter.

The particles wavered for a moment, some parts even detaching from Haro and Dynames before reattaching themselves. When every bit of Dynames was covered with the particles, they began to glow, brighter and brighter until they were as bright as a star.

Suddenly, the particles vibrated violently and disappeared. Dynames continued drifting toward Ptolemaios like nothing happened.

"Lockon. Lockon," Haro chirped.

Behind an asteroid, 00 Raiser slowly materialized as the particles came together again. Inside the cockpit, its young pilot was gasping heavily.

A minute later, Setsuna was back in control. Recovery took longer than expected, but it was the least of his worries right now. A quick scan of Lagrange One showed that Lockon was still alive, positioned on top of a floating beam cannon from the GN Armor.

Trans-Am's time limit had been reached. It would be awhile before 00 Raiser recharged enough particles to use it again. Setsuna quickly pulled up a file and some schematics. He breathed a sigh of relief.

"Phase two, complete. Imprinting was a success. Level two quantization is now confirmed."

A bright flash interrupted his report and blinded him for a few seconds. The shockwave from an explosion followed, rocking his temporarily powered-down Gundam. He only had enough energy to squeeze the controls with his hands.

**_~ G U N D A M ~_**

Lockon Stratos took another deep breath as he looked through his sniper scope at the Gundam Throne of Ali Al-Saachez.

Another ragged breath rustled his lungs. "What am I doing?" he whispered to himself. He shouldn't be out in space, without the protection of his Gundam to prevent him from getting killed. He should be with Feldt, Tieria, Setsuna, and everyone else back in the Ptolemaios.

An explosion. Rows of body bags lining the rubble-filled streets. He squeezed his eyes shut as his heart began hurting from the memories.

He took another deep breath.

"Unless I take care of him…. I need to avenge them," he breathed. His wavering resolve strengthened. He was Lockon Stratos.

"I can't move on…. I can't face the world!"

His mother smiling at him. His sister laughing. He gripped the gun handle tighter.

Suddenly, the Gundam Throne turned and sped towards him. He could almost picture the grizzled man smiling maniacally, baring his teeth at the thought of killing a Gundam Meister.

The whole family playing on the beach. A casual walk in the park. His excited sister motioning for them to shop in the mall.

"That's why…"

2000 meters. 1000 meters. 500 meters. The Gundam Throne was almost upon him, moving swiftly in anticipation of death. His scope locked on the target.

"I'M GOING TO SNIPE YOU!"

The GN cannon fired; roaring white light poured from the cannon. Just ahead, an explosion occurred, sending yet more pieces of shrapnel into the already riddled graveyard of destruction.

Suddenly, the GN cannon below him exploding, sending him to float in space. There was no Dynames to protect him. He took the full force of the explosion.

There was nothing left. He couldn't see from one eye. Now he couldn't even feel pain.

"Father…. Mother…. Amy…," he struggled to let the words escape his mouth as he remembered their last Christmas together. The snowy outside and the warm inside. The delicious food set on the table. The twinkling tree in a jolly corner. The laughter of his family filling the air.

"I know…even if I do this…I may not change anything," Lockon confessed. "It won't go back to normal."

Rubble and smoke replaced the joyful atmosphere. Grey light shined weakly upon a destroyed building, the building that was the unexpected grave for his family.

"Even so…from now on…tomorrow…the future that Lyle lives in…" he rasped. A shooting star caught his attention. He looked at it in surprise before realizing it was Gundam Exia. He smiled.

"Setsuna…did you find your answer?" he asked softly.

His floating brought the earth into his field of vision. He turned his head.

"You people…are you satisfied…with this world?" he whispered. With the last of his strength, he lifted his arm and pointed his hand at the earth like a gun. All the battles he fought, all the people he killed, all the wounds he sustained; it didn't seem to change a thing. He became a Gundam Meister to change the world, for the people, so that no one else needs to see their beloveds die in a fiery explosion right before their eyes. But it was too late for his mother, his father, Amy.

"I'm not," he said.

The GN cannon exploded.

**_~ G U N D A M ~_**

The explosion was the only thing that filled Setsuna's eyes. He couldn't believe it. He didn't want to believe it. His hands tightened around Exia's controls until they almost broke. No...NO…NOOOO!

"LOCKON!"

**_~ G U N D A M ~_**

"Kyrios and Virtue are both alive," Feldt reported with relief. A blip appeared on her screen. She blinked.

"Confirming Dynames. It's en route to Ptolemy," she said with smile and a subsequent sigh of relief. The beating of her heart started slowing as her worry about Lockon disappeared.

"Everyone's safe!" Lichty said happily.

"Thank goodness!" Christina responded with a smile.

A connection was opened from Dynames to Ptolemy.

"Lockon, Lockon! Lockon, Lockon!" Haro chirped.

Everyone looked at each other with confusion. Haro continued chirping. Feldt felt her heart tighten. No….

She forced her eyes back on the screen. It confirmed what she already knew; Dynames was on its way. Still, she couldn't fight a feeling of horror that was washing over her.

"What's the matter, Haro?" she asked, her voice carrying a desperate edge. Haro continued chirping.

Her eyes blurred with tears as her heart broke, letting a tidal wave of sadness of horror to completely smother her.

**_~ G U N D A M ~_**

She knew there was something wrong when Haro answered and not Lockon. When Feldt broke down, it was confirmed.

"He couldn't have…" Sumeragi Lee Noriega weakly denied even though her heart knew. Listening to Haro's mechanical voice crash into her ears, she could only stand, paralyzed, as she realized that she was truly the one that killed him.

**_~ G U N D A M ~_**

"Lockon, Lockon! Lockon, Lockon!"

The blue-haired Gundam Meister stared in shock at nothing.

"Lockon, Lockon! Lockon, Lockon!"

"I don't believe it!" Tieria Erde croaked as tears began streaming from his eyes. He promised himself that he would protect them all, that he would protect him.

But, in the end, he had failed.

**_~ G U N D A M ~_**

Setsuna's animalistic scream even penetrated the hull of 00 Raiser. He winced as he listened to his past self writhe and contort in agony. If only…

He shook his head. No, revealing himself now was not part of Sumeragi Lee Noriega's plan. It would hurt now, but the pain can be…will be managed in time. For now, he must focus on the task at hand: finding a hiding spot and recuperating.

"Phase 3: Operation name: Sniper's Second Advent, complete."

* * *

Edited on July 5th. Names of characters have been changed to match the spellings on Wikipedia.


	3. Stealing from Death

_"I am the miracle."_

_-_Hindu Prince Gautama Siddharta

* * *

**Chapter 3: Stealing from Death**

They were waving at him. His mother. His father. His little sister. They were all standing together like family, just like a normal family. All of them had warm smiles on their faces.

They weren't as he saw them last. His mother wasn't bloody and disfigured with burns on three quarters of her body. No, she looked like an angel. Her hair shined and flowed around her shoulders gracefully. A peaceful aura shined around her.

His father looked much of the same. He looked healthy and strong. An even stronger light danced around him, so bright that he had to squint and shield his eyes with an arm.

He felt a touch on his arm. He lowered it and looked up. He was surprised when two little arms wrapped around his neck and pulled him into a hug. Slowly, he came out of his shock and encircled his arms around her. In that moment, he was as happy as he could ever be.

He felt his hair being tugged and smiled. His little sister always did have a mischievous side. He let go and started tickling her in revenge. Her laughter sang sweet melodies in his ears.

Somehow, she squirmed away from him. He smiled and smoothed out the wrinkles on his flight suit. His hands stopped on his pant leg. Why was he in his flight suit?

His sister appeared before him again, this time holding a white rose. Her almost imperceptible nod told him that it was a present for him. He slowly reached with his right hand and gingerly took the rose from her. It was a delicate, little flower. However, when he peered closer, he saw that its white petals were made of pure white snow. Surprised, he glanced back at his sister questioningly.

But she was gone. Instead, his mother and father stood in place of Amy. He gasped ever so slightly as his mother kneeled down and kissed him on the forehead. His father merely patted him on the shoulder firmly but proudly. And then, they were gone as well.

He looked around in bewilderment. In mere moments, he went from finally being together with his family again to being alone. A crackling noise echoed from behind him. He turned.

His eyes grew wide as he saw the cannon from the GN Armor.

A spark.

An explosion.

He shouted incoherently in fear as the light and fire of the explosion engulfed his entire being.

**_~ G U N D A M ~_  
**

There was no more room for grief inside of him. It laid resting in its final graveyard in the cockpit of the damaged Virtue. True, the shaking had not stopped, but it was no longer attributed to his anguish. Instead, his veins burned with a fiery passion that he had not felt before, fires which shook him with all the intensity of a raging meteor. It was those fires that mechanically directed him out of the cockpit and towards a destination that they seemed quite eager to reach. For a second, fear smote the fires in his head, fear that he no longer could control his own actions…but it lasted a mere second. The furious flames rushed to reclaim control, burning hotter and hotter until he felt nothing, saw nothing but its intensity.

His hands grabbed someone by the collar and slammed that someone into a wall. "You!" his mouth uttered.

"Knock it off, Tieria!" Ian Vashti exclaimed, trying to calm him down, but his words were wasted upon deaf ears.

"Our forces were divided because you went to the surface!" he yelled, slamming that someone into the wall again. Though his mind still couldn't process the identity of the person, he somehow knew a single thing. He hated this person.

"Answer me!" he shouted again, growing even more enraged by the lack of response. "Why did he have to die? Why…did he…." He stuttered as words choked in his throat. The fire in his veins wavered as grief returned, fueled by the memory of Lockon's death.

A hand gripped his shoulder and turned him around. He was absolutely stunned when a hand met his face with a resounding slap.

"The enemy is still out there! If you have time to cry, then help us!" a woman's resolute voice intoned.

He regained his senses as the last of the ire was drowned away. He held his right hand up to his jaw, tenderly cupping the part where Sumeragi Lee Noriega had slapped him. He stared at her pale face, finely chiseled into something almost inhuman. Turning his head slowly, he recognized the faces of Ian, Lasse, and finally, Setsuna, who continued to look at him with his typical emotionless expression. Without another word, he floated out of the hanger, hand still resting on the exact same spot on his jaw.

It was only when Tieria reached his room that he moved his hand away. Slowly, he pulled off all the parts of his flight suit. Leaving them floating in the middle of his room, he stepped into the shower. Tilting his head up, his face was met by a sharp spray of water.

He knew not of how long he stood under the showerhead, only that it was over when his hand automatically turned off the water, as if it had a mind of its own. He stepped out and toweled himself dry. His clothing was floating roughly where he had left them. Methodically, he donned his flight suit. As a finishing touch, he lightly placed his glasses back on.

In truth, he was ashamed at letting his anger control him. He was Celestial Being's Gundam Meister, one of the terrors of the world. It was his duty to ultimately bring peace and unity to Earth. He could not let himself be derailed by this loss. Resolute, he prepared to rejoin the crew of the Ptolemaios.

As Tieria turned to head out the door, a memory suddenly struck him. Sumeragi Lee Noriega was their tactical strategist and leader. Although she had a horrible habit of drinking alcohol, there was no doubt that she was as resolute as the rest of them. The brilliant glimmer in her eyes confirmed that. However, when she had slapped him, he had only recognized an inhumanly sculpted face. The brilliance in her eyes was gone.

Stricken by this revelation, he turned his head slowly to catch a glimpse of himself in the mirror. He did not see a strong, determined man gazing back at him. Instead, he saw the face of a man he could barely recognize: pale and gaunt. Only hollow eyes stared right back at him.

**_~ G U N D A M ~_**

He opened his eyes and saw nothing but black. For a moment, he thought he was still floating in space, but a quick look around disproved that thought. The blackness extended seemingly forever in all directions. There was nowhere to go…but down? Somehow, he felt himself sinking in the blackness. Confusion replaced bewilderment. He stroked a wing as his mind attempted to find an explanation.

He recoiled in shock once he registered that he was touching a wing. He turned his head and felt his mouth drop. A giant, white wing was flapping behind him, not quickly but not slowly either. Further investigation revealed that the wing was somehow attached to his back. A quick glance on the other side puzzled him even more. He only had one wing.

"Bloody amazing," he sighed exasperatedly. "I'm a freak of heaven, a one-winged angel. Or maybe it's just hell trying to mess with me." He attempted to turn around by flapping his one and only wing; instead, he found himself fluttering head-down a few moments later.

A soft laugh caught his attention. Instinctively, he looked around for the source of the laugh, but all was in vain. He could only see black. The laughter gradually grew louder until it seemed like it came from right in front of him. He strained his eyes but it was no use.

"Who's there?" he asked.

"Why don't you see for yourself?" a delicate voice answered.

All of a sudden, he found himself staring at a well-lit house, albeit upside-down. Snow was falling all around him. He reached a hand out only to snatch it back when the snow just passed through it. He turned his head to find…

"Amy!" he recoiled in surprise. His sister only laughed.

"Come. Let me show you something."

She curled her small fingers around his hand and led him to the window of the home, finally righting him in the process. After running a hand through his hair, he breathed a sigh of exasperation and gazed through the window.

A small Christmas tree stood in the corner, its twinkling ornaments and lights adding to the merriment of the cozy home. Presents just waiting to be unwrapped lay right under. A table decorated with a small feast stood proudly, serving its family in the season of celebration.

His breath caught. His father sat at the end of the table, the position of power and dominance. His mother sat to the right of him, his glowing queen to rule over the household. Little Amy sat next to her mother, smiling happily and munching away at the food on the table.

His brother and he were both seated to the left of their father, squabbling away like most siblings do. Suddenly, his younger self took his brother's head and mashed it against his plate of food. Everyone shook with laughter as his brother's face came up with mashed potatoes, vegetables, and other food stuck to it.

On the other side of the window, Neil Dylandy smiled.

"Brother," Amy called to him.

He tore his eyes away from the family to look at his angelic little sister. "Yes, Amy?" He was completely surprised when she threw her arms around his neck in a warm embrace.

"Thanks for being the best big brother a little sister can ever ask for," she murmured in his ear. Her words brought a warm, stuffy feeling in his chest. He opened his mouth but found that no words would come out. In the end, he opted to hug her tighter.

"You don't belong in the next world, big brother," she said, while pulling out of the embrace.

Her new words froze his heart. Is he going to hell? Is he going to suffer an eternity to repent for all the lives he took?

"You're not going there, silly," she laughed, as if she read his mind. "You're not dead yet." She put a tiny finger on his mouth. He felt a thousand questions die on his lips even as a thousand more popped up in his head. She stretched out her other hand to catch the snow. He watched in silent fascination as the snow piled up in her small hand. After a few seconds, she drew her hand in and cupped the snow in both hands. He gasped as he recognized its design.

"Keep this one close to you, okay?" she said with a smile while handing him the rose. "Don't lose this one like you did with my last one, or Amy will be very mad," she said jokingly.

She leaned in to quickly kiss him on the nose. He opened his mouth to shout for her to wait. Instead, a scream erupted from his throat as he felt himself falling faster and faster.

_Next time, God better give me two wings…_

**_~ G U N D A M ~_**

The silence in the abandoned satellite was a rare treat for Setsuna F. Seiei. Warfare and strife had been a constant in his life, ever since he became a child soldier in Krugis. Mechanically, his feet took him to the docking bay of the satellite, where his Gundam temporarily rested. His eyes dispassionately wandered over the surface of 00 Raiser before he turned and walked away.

_God does not exist. God will not dictate the outcome of my actions. I can only rely on my Gundam and Sumeragi Lee Noriega's mission plan._

He stayed in the crumbling kitchen of the satellite for only a moment to refill his canister with water. Once it was filled, he was off on his wanderings again. Only the faint sound of his breathing filled the silent corridor. He stopped in front of a worn, unmarked door. Slowly, he pushed it open and entered the room.

"I see you're finally awake," Setsuna said to the only other occupant of the room.

**_~ G U N D A M ~_**

Opening his eyes after a long period of unconsciousness had never been a favorite moment of his. Every time, he needed to channel all the energy in his body just to force two flaps of skin to move up. Others may have the luxury of falling asleep for another few hours, but as Lockon Stratos, a pilot for an organization that the whole world wants to destroy, he couldn't afford to tarry.

After grueling amounts of effort, his eyelids opened, allowing him a blurry view of the world. He blinked a few times to sharpen his view…then blinked a few more to confirm he was really seeing correctly. No earth. No stars. No debris. Not even the fiery, red landscape of hell. Grunting, he turned his head. No wing.

Closing his eyes, he sighed as his mind tried to piece together what he had just seen. He was interrupted when he heard the door open.

"I see you're finally awake," Setsuna said in his monotonous voice. However, it sounded different. Deeper. More weary.

"Setsuna," he rasped and coughed. Without a word, the younger Meister handed him a canister. He gratefully took the canister, ignoring the soreness in his arms, and drank deeply.

"So, Setsuna…" Lockon said after drinking and choking on half the water in the canister. "First answer this: am I in Heaven or Hell."

Expectedly, there was no change in facial expressions from the young Gundam Meister. "We are currently on an abandoned satellite in Lagrange 1. Virtue and Dynames are badly damaged, while Kyrios suffered moderate damages. The crew of the Ptolemaios is safe for now. Exia should be docked with the other Gundams by now," Setsuna responded, completely disregarding Lockon's half serious question.

He blinked in surprise, but it was of no doubt to him that this Setsuna was the genuine thing that neither Heaven nor Hell could reproduce. "Well, good to know I can still fight for Celestial Being. And Haro did a good job…wait, if Exia is in the Ptolemy, how are we going to get back? If you rescued me, then why aren't we both at the Ptolemy…?" Lockon's voice slowly faded.

Setsuna turned to look him right in the eyes. The young Meister's stare gave him a cold feeling in his stomach. "Lockon Stratos, you are officially dead to the world."

_You are officially dead to the world._

"Setsuna…what are you talking about? I'm still alive. I can still fight," he said with a shaky voice.

"Lockon Stratos. I do not expect you to believe me the first time I say this, but I do expect you to follow Sumeragi Lee Noriega's last mission plan. It's the only way that we can guarantee that everyone gets through this alive." He took a deep breath and started again. "I'm Setsuna F. Seiei from four years in the future. Our last battle against the Innovators was a failure. Before we were completely destroyed, my Gundam was installed with time machine-like equipment and I was transported here to this time. I am still in the process of carrying out Sumeragi Lee Noriega's last mission plan. Saving you was one of the phases."

Lockon stayed silent. His mind was threatening to capitulate with the vast amount of inconceivable information that was just relayed to him. However, he now had an answer as to why Setsuna seemed so different. He was a completely different Setsuna.

"We don't have much time until the UN forces attack the Ptolemaios again. If anything, this might convince you," Setsuna interrupted and threw his communicator at him.

Only a play button was shown on screen. He looked up in confusion but the other Meister had already left the room. With a sigh, he pressed the play button with all the dramatic air of a man ordering his own execution.

"Hello Neil Dylandy, codename Lockon Stratos." He almost jumped in surprise as Sumeragi Lee Noriega's mellifluous voice reached his ears and her image appeared on the screen. He noted that her lustrous hair was shorter than he originally remembered it to be and that she looked paler and more drawn.

_It's been four years since my supposed death. She probably blames herself for it._

"If this message reaches you, I assume Setsuna has completed Phase 3 of the mission. Phase 4 of the mission will commence shortly after this message is finished due to the limited time frame we have to work with. UN reinforcements will shortly be besieging Ptolemy again with the help of a customized Mobile Armor. Fatalities for this battle will be Dr. Moreno, Christina, and Lichty."

He noticed that her voice shook significantly as she spoke the names of those that were to be killed. _She must blame herself for their deaths too. She was supposed to watch out for us as our tactical strategist, but in the end, some of us still died._

"Lockon, Setsuna will go over the details of the plan for this phase with you. However, from now on, you cannot let others know that you're alive. It is imperative that everyone thinks you are dead. It may seem stupid and it may hurt now, but it is the best way to keep the time stream the way it should be. If anything that disrupts the course of time happens, all the information and mission plans will become obsolete. Things may take a turn for the worse. As long as time flows as it should, the information in here will help you predict the 'future' so to speak, and you will be able to aid us to victory in the final battle."

The image of Sumeragi Lee Noriega paused and stared at him, almost wistfully. For a second, he thought he could tell what she was thinking by the glimmer in her eyes. Was it longing? Was it guilt? Or was it...

"I hope to see you at the end, Neil," she said softly. The recording ended and he found himself looking at a dark screen. Instinctively, he glanced up as the door opened. Setsuna stepped into the room.

"Setsuna, tell me something. How much did Miss Sumeragi drink after Christina, Lichty, Dr. Moreno, and I died?"

"She left Celestial Being. We heard nothing from her for four years until I brought her back," Setsuna responded.

Four years. She wasted away for four years, blaming herself for those deaths and drowning herself with alcohol.

"No, I won't do it. I won't go along with this plan. Take me back to Ptolemy now!" he nearly shouted in anger. A punch in the head sent him sprawling on the bed.

"Lockon Stratos! We are the Gundam Meisters of Celestial Being. We will do everything at our disposal to unite the world. There will be times of hardship for everyone on the road ahead, but if we all bear through this, we will succeed. Our friends died the first time this happened. I don't want to see them die a second time because of your idiocy!"

Lockon looked at Setsuna in amazement. Out of all the years that he had worked with the young boy, he had never seen him display any outward signs of emotion. But Setsuna's outburst was the closest thing to an emotion that he had ever seen.

_I don't want to see them die a second time because of your idiocy!_

He turned his eyes up at the ceiling. The gray, cracked metal looked dull and dead. He traced one of the cracks until it ended in a dark corner of the room. Nothingness. Meaningless.

_Amy. Why am I alive? Why? What did you want me to do?_ _I'm just a man. I'm not God. _

It struck him. "Setsuna F. Seiei," he said while sitting up. "I am just a man. A man cannot do the work of God. But I'm not going to sit around while God takes away the lives of everyone I care about. Whether this is a delusion or reality, I'm not letting anyone die."

The younger Meister nodded. "We're heading out in five minutes. Get yourself ready." Without another word, he walked out of the room.

Lockon stood up and immediately, a wave of pain crashed over him. He clutched his ribs. The adrenaline and endorphins were beginning to enter his body at a slower rate now that he knew he wasn't in any imminent danger. He gritted his teeth. Just a little longer. With great effort, he straightened and left the room to follow the other Meister.

"Wow, you really weren't kidding when you said you're from the future," he whistled as he entered the docking bay. "What's its name?"

"00 Raiser," Setsuna responded without looking back. "However, you will only be piloting 00. I have already programmed the Gundam to respond to Lockon Stratos." He glanced back at the shocked Meister. "It's almost time to start Phase 4. Be sure to read over the mission plan."

Lockon quickly snapped out of his shock. _No, there will be time for mundane things later. Now, I have friends to save._ With a nod, he quickly clambered into the cockpit of 00. After powering on the Gundam, he pulled up Sumeragi Lee Noriega's last mission plan.

"Looks like all that alcohol didn't affect your strategic intelligence, Miss Sumeragi," he chuckled to himself after reading.

"Lockon Stratos, are you ready?" Setsuna's voice came through the speakers.

"Lockon Stratos, ready to snipe," he replied with a grin.

"Roger. Phase 4: Operation Aeneas, commencing."

**_~ G U N D A M ~_**

"Particle beam, incoming!" Christina cried.

"From that distance?" Sumeragi Lee Noriega shouted in alarm.

"You!" Lichty gritted his teeth as he turned the ship with all his might.

There was nothing she could do but watch the golden beam grow brighter and brighter. She was displaced when the Ptolemaios shook from the impact.

"No. 1 particle generator hit," Feldt reported after the shaking stopped.

She cursed inwardly. "Switch all particle generation to the No. 2 generator," she ordered.

"Roger," Feldt replied as she proceeded to carry out the order.

"Second wave, incoming," Christina said with panic in her voice.

"Lichty!" she ordered needlessly. In truth, she felt helpless that she was of little use in this time. Tactically, they were at an extreme disadvantage with a crippled mother ship and damaged Gundams.

"I'll do it!" Lichty responded confidently.

The ship slowly began to curve in the other direction as the golden beam appeared again in the distance. She gripped the armrests of her chair tightly, bracing for another impact. Again, the Ptolemaios shook violently as the beam narrowly missed its intended target.

"Launch the assault container. The target is the enemy mobile armor!" Sumeragi Lee Noriega ordered. "Lichty, move Ptolemy into the shadow of a nearby satellite! Kyrios and Nadleeh, launch directly from the container. Defend Ptolemy!" She gasped for breath as she issued the last of her orders. Ptolemy trembled as the assault container and two Gundams were launched.

_Oh Lockon, I wish you were here. A sniper would make this situation less desperate. But it seems this will be my punishment for failing to prevent your death. Oh Lockon…_

"The enemy mobile suit squad is coming from the right and left," Christina reported, interrupting her self infliction of guilt. "A smokescreen is disrupting our sensors. We're blind."

Lichty cursed. "Move and we're in sights to get blasted. Stay and we'll be chopped up without even knowing it."

_Truly a situation where we're stuck between a rock and a hard place. Allelujah and Tieria are both occupied. There must be another way to get out of this. At this rate, we'll all be—_

Her thoughts were interrupted as a flash of gold blinded her. The accompanying shockwave nearly threw her from her seat.

"No. 3 and 4 containers, severely damaged. Damage to the outer armor is grave." Feldt's urgent voice slowly worked her out of her daze.

"Lower the shutters from E20 to 68," she commanded.

"Roger."

"Sumeragi-san!" Christina cried, sounding distressed. "The medical room!"

_One. How many more will die before this is all over?_

"Don't die without permission, you idiot!" Ian pounded the table in grief and anger.

**_~ G U N D A M ~_**

"Lockon Stratos! Stay in position!" Setsuna's voice came over the speakers.

"Did you see that? It could have destroyed Ptolemy! We need to act now!" he shouted back wildly.

"LOCKON STRATOS!" Setsuna shouted over the speakers. "Use your head. You saw Sumeragi Lee Noriega in the communicator. She's alive in the future. We are carrying out this mission to save the people we lost this day. Sumeragi Lee Noriega's plans have never failed us in the past. They will not fail us now."

He slammed his head against the seat in frustration. He knew Setsuna was right. He was jeopardizing the mission because he was letting his emotions get in the way of his judgment. Dead men aren't supposed to have emotions, but how could he just stay still while a gigantic, destructive weapon was about to erase the lives of everyone he cared about.

"The assault container, Kyrios, and Nadleeh have engaged in battle," Setsuna's normal, monotonous voice reported. He gritted his teeth. He was going to punch Setsuna after this. Even at a time like this, the boy sounds as emotionless as a dead battery.

A bright flash appeared on the HUD. He stared in shock as the asteroids around a particular area disintegrated, leaving the golden spaceship completely unscathed. No one was pulling punches. It was all or nothing.

"Lockon!"

Setsuna's voice reminded him of their mission at hand. Swiftly, he targeted Ptolemy. "Never thought I'd snipe my own mother ship," he said before firing off three smokescreen shells. Within seconds, the front half of Ptolemy was covered in thick smoke. "Now, it's time to take out the bad guys." With practiced ease, he lined an enemy mobile suit in his sights.

_Setsuna, if any of them die, I'm personally serving your head on a platter to the devil._

**_~ G U N D A M ~_**

As soon as he saw the smokescreen around Ptolemy, he accelerated the 0 Raiser at full throttle. Within seconds, he had reached the crippled mother ship. Hesitating for just a moment, he fired once at the hull near particle generator No. 1. Docking the 0 Raiser haphazardly near the newly created hole, he ejected himself from the cockpit and entered the Ptolemaios.

Red warning lights and sirens were going off en masse as expected, but he had no time to enjoy the light show. He took a second to bring up a map of Ptolemy on his communicator, then swiftly started moving in the direction of the medical bay.

"Setsuna? Wha—" Dr. Moreno managed to utter before he shot him with a tranquilizer gun. Quickly, he grabbed the unconscious doctor and dragged him into a storage room. Now he must wait.

The first thing he noticed was how quiet it was in the room. It seemed ironic that everyone's fighting for their lives and mobile suits were getting destroyed by the minute, while everything was calm in the storage room. He dispelled his fantasy when everything shook violently.

"Setsuna, the beam just fired for the third time," Lockon informed him.

"Roger," he replied.

There would never be peace in the world. All the fighting would continue for years to come. A peaceful world is a mere fantasy driven by the idealists who have never set foot outside their office. There will always be war, and there will always be Celestial Being to eradicate it.

"Setsuna, the assault container on Ptolemy just started firing." He glanced at the map again and traced the route in his head. No one was going to die this time. "Setsuna, the GN missiles have been fired."

He was on a timetable now. With agility borne from his days of training in the KPSA, he propelled himself off of any available surface towards the bridge. The door to the bridge slid open.

"Setsuna?" Christina and Lichty both said in surprise. With two quick motions, he shot both of them. Using the back of Lichty's chair as a springboard, he grabbed the unconscious helmsman's arm and propelled himself towards the door, snagging Christina as he passed her. Despite carrying two deadweights, Setsuna flew through the corridors, pausing only to grab the doctor from the storage room. With a piece of rope, he tied together one hand of each person before continuing on his way back to 0 Raiser while dragging the three crew members of Ptolemy rather unceremoniously behind him. He was in the process of fitting Christina into the cockpit of 0 Raiser when a huge tremor passed through Ptolemy.

"Setsuna! The bridge was just destroyed! I hope you got them out of there or I'll b—" Lockon's frantic voice screamed through the communicator.

"Lockon Stratos, I'm loading everyone into 0 Raiser now. Deploy a smokescreen around the assault container to mask my withdrawal. Then, destroy the rest of the mobile suits except the two Allelujah is fighting."

"Why just tho—"

"Follow the mission plan, Lockon Stratos," he nearly shouted into the communicator.

A moment of silence. "Roger. Smokescreen has been deployed."

It was a very tight squeeze. Between various body parts of unconscious crew members, Setsuna barely had room to move the controls. Maneuvering 0 Raiser around wreckages of mobile suits and asteroids, he headed off to their rendezvous point.

"Lockon Stratos. Setsuna F. Seiei. Moving to rendezvous point," he relayed.

"Roger, Setsuna. Just one more bastard to snipe."

After taking a deep breath, he opened throttle and sped away from the carnage of the battle.

"Phase 4, complete."

* * *

Pshh, not dead yet. I've just been incredibly busy and to be absolutely honest, losing interest in writing fanfics. I will try to finish this one up, and then I'll be retiring from FF (besides the very occasional drabble or oneshot) to do other stuff, like write what I want. I'm also going to be reformatting my previous two chapters to make them consistent with a new format I'm trying. Also, I probably need to get a beta reader to check for grammar mistakes and such. I'm horrible with those. Of course, he or she will probably be stuck months on end with nothing to proofread from me. Anyways, any mistakes, let me know by PM or on a review. Any clarifications on any part of the story, let me know and I'll answer them unless my answer will spoil future parts of my story. Don't worry, I don't bite.

By the way, thanks for the reviews guys! Sorry to anyone I didn't get to respond to. I was swamped in the time after I posted Ch. 2.

Early Happy Valentines Day! :)

* * *

Edited July 5th. Changed the formatting a slight amount to make all chapters consistent.


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